SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

A major change for Genesis came on this concept album about not just the decline and fall, but after the decline and fall of The British Empire. No more tracks like "The Musical Box" and "The Knife," no mindbashingly heavy passages, no likeness to any of the hard rocking groups of the era such as Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. While I have brought Uriah Heep up I would say that this album to Genesis was what Demons and Wizards was to them. A mellowing process, a more mature and more relaxed sound that could draw you in with a welcoming benevolent manner instead of a "hit you over the head and clobber you" one. "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" is such a beautiful song, despite all the unrepressed sadness and melancholia in it. Britain would never be the great power it was again, and here Gabriel mourns the passing of old England to the depression that set in in the early 70s. I've always considered standing inside Whitehall with the Guards and singing the entire lyric (actually, I CAN), but they'd never get it. I cannot choose one album as the greatest thing Genesis recorded, that just would be impossible, but this one is up there. Sadly, this is the last Genesis album I could award 5 stars to, with the majority of their post Selling England work only making a "Good, but not essential." So, you all know what I'm getting at? The Decline And Fall Of Genesis post Gabriel! Actually, and I know this may offend some people, the rot was beginning to set in on The Lamb, but that would still get 4 stars as an "Excellent addition." This album is special, it is the last record they made when there was peace and cooperation in the group, and because of that a gentleness and heartbreaking tranquility is allowed to show in every track. "The Cinema Show" is a wondrous slice of epic melodic prog, and "The Battle Of Epping Forest" is both very funny and also very serious in a Ray Davies alike way. Gabriel reached his zenith as a lyric writer on Selling England By The Pound, and anyone who doubts that Genesis reached their peak as musicians has only to listen to Hackett's solo in "Firth Of Fifth" and the entire instrumental "After The Ordeal" which follow "Epping Forest." Every time I go to England there is a sorrow I find hard to repress, this album captures that, it also captures the fleeting moments of joy that that country can show to you. I think of special people, special places, special memories when I listen to this album. A crisp and pure Autumn day when the future didn't matter to me and all that did is the present turns into a crisp and pure Autumn day when I can see a better future ahead for myself, and mourn the tragedy that has befallen mankind. That kind of sentiment and those kinds of emotions are only brought about by the most impressive art and music there is. This is one of those rare occaisons of something even more than music in the form of a record album. An absolute masterpiece.

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